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Mate

n. kind, resilient everyday

What it means

A friend or companion who shares an activity, place, or experience.

Reach for it when referring warmly and informally to a peer, especially in British or Australian usage

Her climbing mate checked every knot before they left the ledge.

Words to choose between 8

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom. Tap a word to see when it fits.
playful
everyday
warm
professional
formal
literary

  • playful

    buddy

    Suits friendly, informal companionship in American English

    Careful Buddy can sound childish or patronizing in serious recognition.

  • playful

    pal

    Suits casual affection with a slightly old-fashioned tone

    Careful Pal is too breezy for a trusted partner in dangerous or professional work.

  • everyday

    teammate

    Fits when belonging to the same team is the exact connection

    Careful A teammate need not be a friend or regular companion.

  • warm

    companion

    Fits when shared time or travel matters more than intimacy

    Careful Companion is more formal and can sound distant in everyday speech.

  • warm

    friend

    Fits when personal affection and trust are clear

    Careful Friend may claim emotional closeness that a casual mate does not.

  • professional

    partner

    Fits when cooperation and shared responsibility define the relationship

    Careful Partner can imply romance, business ownership, or a formal role.

  • formal

    fellow

    Fits when shared membership or circumstance is enough

    Careful Fellow is impersonal and can sound gendered or old-fashioned.

  • literary

    comrade

    Fits when solidarity through shared effort or hardship matters

    Careful Comrade has political and military associations that can distract.

Opposites 3

  • enemy
  • stranger
  • rival

Common phrases 3

  • best mate

    His best mate organized a quiet welcome after the long deployment.

  • old mate

    An old mate recognized the carving style immediately.

  • travel mate

    A patient travel mate made the delayed journey easier.

Usage notes

Keep in mind

In the friend sense, mate is especially natural in British and Australian English; in other varieties it may sound marked or mean a spouse or breeding partner.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Dvortygirl, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated